Joseph men chen



(No Model.) J. MENCH'EN.

OVERHEAD ELECTRICAL KNIFE SWITCH.

No. 574,926. A Patented Jan. 12, 1897.

-V Il Jiffy.

UNITED STATES;I

PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH MENOHEN, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

OVERHEAD ELECTRICAL KNIFE-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 574,926, dated January12, 189'?.

Application filed February 25, 1896. Serial No. 580,727l (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH MENCHEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Overhead ElectricalKnife-Switches, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in overhead electricalknife-switches, and my object is to provide an electrical switch whichmay be secured to the ceiling of a room and thus obviate the necessityof running the electrical-current-conducting wires down the side of thewall, which it is necessary to do in order to make connections withswitches now in general use. In addition to the eX- pense saved bydiscarding the wall-wires, economy of space is obtained where a numberof switches are employed, and the wallspace which they would now occupymay be utilized for other purposes.

With these objects in view `the invention may be said to consist incertain features of novelty hereinafter described, and pointed out inclaims.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, reference will behad to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a detailside View of said invention in position for operation. Fig. 2 representsan end view of same. Fig. 3 is a central verticalV longitudinal sectionof the switch, showing its operation by dotted lines. Fig. 4 representsthe switch-knives engaging the knife-terminal jaws, with the centralportion of said knives depressed a part of the distance through whichthey pass and showing the position of the knife terminals before theyare withdrawn from the knife-terminal jaws by the retractile spring.

Similar reference-figures refer to similar parts throughout the views inthe drawings.

1 represents an insulating-base which is attached to the ceiling oroverhead surface.

2 2 and 3 3 represent knife-terminal jaws which engage the contact-knifeterminals 5 5. 4 represents the main or central portion of saidcontact-knives, to which are connected the knife terminals 5 5. 5 5represent the contact-knife terminals, which are connected with thecentral part 4 of said contact-knives by the pivots 7 7 and which engagethe knifeterminal jaws to complete the current.

6 6 represent downward prolongations of .are depressed by the downwardmovement of the cross-head 10 and its connections and through the agencyof the retractile spring 9.

7 7 represent pivots connecting the central portion of thecontact-knives 4 with the contact-knife terminals 5 5. 8 Srepresentguards on either end of the central portion4 of said contact-knives andextending up on either side of the contact-knife terminals and servingthe double purpose of holding said contact-knife terminals in place andsupplying a more extended contact-surface for conducting the electricalcurrents through the parts of said contact-knives.

9 represents a retractile spring which holds the contact-knife terminals5 5 in place and instantaneously disengages said terminals from theknife-terminal jaws 2 2 and 3 3 when said contact-knife is depressed tobreak the electrical current.

10 represents a reciprocal insulating crosshead,to which are attachedthe contact-knives 4, with their connections, as above described, andthrough which pass the verticallydepending standards 1b 16.

11 represents a wear-plate on the upper side of the reciprocatoryinsulatory cross-head 10 to protect said cross-head from wear by contactwith the dog 19, on which it rests when said cross-head is in itsdepressed position.

l2 represents a post depending centrally from said insulatoryreciprocatory cross-head 10, to ywhich may be attached any means ofdepressing said insulatory cross-head 10 and the contact-knives 4, withtheir connections, until said contact-knife terminals 5 5 are disengagedfrom the knife-terminal jaws 2 2 and 3 3.

13 represents a screw-bolt by which the de- IOO pending post 12 isattached tothe insulatory reciprocatory cross-head 10.

1st represents a chain which is attached to the post 12, by means ofwhich the insulatory reci procatory cross-head 10, together with thecontact-knives /1 and their connections, is depressed until thecontact-knife terminals 5 5 are disengaged from the knifeterminal jawsand the electrical current broken. 15 represents a handheld foroperating said chain 1l and its connections.

1G 1G represen t vertically-dependin g stan dards connected with theinsulatory base 1 and passing through the insulatory reciprocatorycross-head 10 and terminating at the lower end in a screw-head or washer17 17 and mounted between said screw-head or washer and the lowersurface of said reciprocatory insulating cross-head by spiral springs 1717, holding said cross-head elevated and said contact-knife terminals 55 in engagement with the knife-terminal jaws 2 2 and 3 3.

17 17 represent spiral springs mounted on or encircling the dependingstandards 1G 1G, the lower end resting 011 the screw-head or washers171l 17 and the upper end in contact with the lower surface of saidreciprocatory insulating cross-head 10, which, with its connections,said springs force upward when disengaged from their depressed positionby springing the dog 19 until said contact-knife terminals 5 5 engagethe knife-terminal jaws 2 2 and 3 3, and thus connect the electricalcircuit.

17 17 1 represent the screw-heads or washers on the lower ends of thedepending standards 16 1G and furnish the support for the springs 17 17and the reciprocatory insulating crosshead 10 and its connections.

18 1S represent boxings passing through the insulating reciproeatorycross-head 10 and surrounding the depending standards 1G 1G.

19 represents a dog so placed that when the reciprocatory insulatingcross head 10 and its connections are so depressed as to disengage thecontact-knife terminals 5 5 from the knife-terminal jaws 2 2 and 3 3said dog engages the upper surface of said cross-head 10 and holds saidcross-head and its connections in said depressed condition. 2Orepresents a pivot on which said dog 19 works and through which it isattached to the insulatingbase 1.

21 represents a lever attached to and constituting a part of the dog 19,which, by means of a spring 23, when said reeiprocatory insulatingcross-head 10 is brought to its depressed position, is caused to take aposition over said cross-head 10 and hold said crosshead and itsconnections in said depressed position.

22 represents a lever attached to and forming a part of the dog 19,which, by being depressed by a downward :movement by the chain 24,removes said dog from its position over the reciprocatory insulatingcross-head 10 and allows the springs 17 17 to carry said cross-head 10and its connections to their elevated position, forming an engagementwith the knit`e-terminal jaws.

23 represents a spring interposed between the insulating-base 1 and thelever 21. of the dog 19 for throwing said dog 19 over the reciprocatoryinsulating cross-head 10 when said cross-head is brought to itsdepressed position.

21 represents a bifurcated casting screwbolted to the insulatory base 1,to which the dog 19 is pivoted and by which said dog is attached to saidbase 1.

2t represents a screw-bolt by which the bifurcated casting 2-1: isbolted to the insulating-base 1.

24" represents a chain attached to the lever 22 of the dog 19, by meansof which said dog is removed from over said insulating reciproca-torycrosshead, allowing the same to be forced to its elevated position byspiral springs 17 17.

25 represents a handheld for operating the chain 24 and its connections.

lVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. An overhead switch, comprising an insulating-base, standards depending vertically therefrom, an insulating reciprocatory crosshead mountedthereon, knife-terminal jaws secured to the base, contact-knives carriedby said cross-head, and provided with pivotal terminals, and retractilesprings connected with each pair of pivotal terminals, subst-an tiallyas set forth.

2. An overhead switch, comprising an insulating-base, standardsdepending vertically therefrom an insulating reciprocatory cross headupon said standards, knife terminal jaws secured to the base,contact-knives carried by said cross-head, terminals pivotally securedto the opposite ends of said knives and provided with downwardprojections, retractile springs connecting said projections, and meansto hold said pivoted terminals into engagement with the terminal jaws,with a yielding pressure, substantially as described.

3. An overhead switch, comprising an insulating-base, standardsdepending therefrom, an insulating reciprocatory cross-head upon saidstandards, knife-terminal jaws secured to the base, contact-knivescarried bythe crosshead, terminals pivotally secured to the oppositeends of the knives, retractile springs connecting said terminals, meansfor holding the terminals in engagement with the contacts, with ayielding pressure, and means to break such engagement, substantially asdescribed.

4:. An overhead switch, comprising an insulating-basc, standardsdepending therefrom, an insulating reciprocatory cross-head upon saidstandards, knife-terminal jaws secured to the base, contactknivescarried bythe cross-head, terminals pivotally secured to the oppositeends of the knives, retractile springs ICO ITO

connecting said terminals, a post depending from the cross-head, a chaindepending from the post and springs mounted upon the standards tonormally press the cross-head toward the base, substantially asdescribed.

5. An overhead switch, comprising an insulating 'base, knife terminaljaws secured thereto, standards depending from the base, an insulatingreciprocatory cross-head upon the standards, contact-knives carried bythe cross -head, springs normally pressing the cross-head toward thebase with the knives engaging the knife-terminal jaws, and a dog to holdthe cross-head in its removed position from the base, with the knivesand terminal jaws separated, substantially as described.

6. An overhead switch, comprising an insulating base, knife terminaljaws secured thereto, standards depending from the base, an insulatingreciprocatory cross-head upon said standards, and provided with awearplate, contact-knives carried by the crosshead, springs upon saidstandards-and normally pressing the cross-head elevated, and aspring-actuated dog, carried pivotally by the base, which automaticallyengages the wearplate when the cross-head is removed from the base,substantially as described.

7. An overhead switch, comprising an insulating-base, standardsdepending therefrom, an insulating reciprocator f cross-head upon saidstandards, knife-terminal jaws secured to the base, contact-knivescarried by the cross-head, springs upon the standards for normallypressing the cross-head elevated, a post depending centrally from thecross-head, a chain connected thereto, a dog pivotally connected to thebase to automatically engage and hold the cross-head when removed fromthe base, and meansto trip said dog to permit the cross-head `to rise,substantially as described.

8. An overhead switch, comprising an insulating-base, knife-terminaljaws and standards depending therefrom, an insulating reciprocatorycross-head upon said standards, contact-knives carried by the cross-headand provided with pivoted terminals and springs normally pressing thecross-head elevated, and said terminals with a yielding pressure intofrictional engagement with said knifeterminal jaws, substantially asdescribed.

9. An overhead switch comprising an insulating-base, knife-terminal jawsand standards depending therefrom, an insulating reciprocatorycross-head upon said standards, contact-knives carried by saidcross-head, and provided with terminals, and with slotted guides, whichalso act as current-conductors between the two sections of the knives,springs norm ally pressing the cross-head elevated and the said knifeterminals into frictional engagement with knife-terminal `jaws,whereby,when the cross-head is removed from the base, said terminals are causedto pivotally operate, and a retractile spring connecting each pair ofpivoted terminals to facilitate their separation from the knife-terminaljaws, and engagement with the slotted guides, substantially asdescribed.

lO. In an overhead switch, the combination of a suitably-supportedinsulating-base, vertical standards projecting upwardly into the base,nuts engaging and clamping them in position, knife-terminal jawsdepending from the base, an insulating reciproca-tory crosshead uponsaid standards, provided with a wear-plate at its upper side, a postscrewbolted to the cross-head with a chain attached, expansion springsspirally encircling the standards and bearing at their opposite endsagainst the-heads of the same and the under side of the cross-head,contact-knives engaging the knife-terminal j aws,and carried by thecross-head, a bifurcated casting-screw bolted to the base, a dog pivotedtherein, a spring interposed between the base and the dog, and a chaindepending from the dog, all arranged substantially as shown anddescribed.

JOSEPH MENCHEN. Vitnesses:

WM. ALLBRITAIN, F. G. FISCHER.

